Change of Plans
by Misfit Soul
Summary: This is a post 3.19 fic. This is another way Cristina and Burke could have gotten back together.  It also revolves around how they deal with the mothers and the planning of the wedding.  Please read and review.  Disclaimer: I own nothing.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This story is written in a rather short chapter format. Read and review._**  
**

**Chapter One**

The apartment was quiet and the sky grey with the predawn light when Cristina woke up. She was alone, completely alone and everything was so quiet. It gave her time to think. She had told Burke exactly what she wanted last night and he had accepted it. They were okay and she, Cristina Yang was happy.

She smiled to herself and went to get ready for work. Even when she was making coffee, she was still smiling. It was an odd feeling, this happiness and contentment, especially so early in the morning. But she had Burke and that's what mattered.

"C"

I had an early surgery. I'll see you at the hospital.

Love you,

"B"

It was written on a sticky note attached to her favorite coffee cup. She was tempted to write one back to him, but Cristina Yang didn't do that cutesy, gag-me stuff even if she was living with someone, marrying someone…loving someone.

She peeled the note off her cup and looked around furtively, though she knew full and well that no one was there. She headed toward one of the little-used rooms where she had stacked her boxes from the old apartment. They were full of her mother's furniture and the various knick-knacks that she had purchased when she decorated her miserable daughter's apartment.

The box was in the back, the third one down in the stack furthest from the door. She carefully pulled it out. Inside was a box that her father had made with lacquered wood. Cristina pulled out the musical notes scrub cap out and placed the post it note in along with all the others Burke had given her. They were in chronological order, the only organized items she had. Burke didn't know about it and she'd never tell him. She could imagine his cocky smirk now and that eyebrow raise now.

The first time Cristina received a note, she had just tossed it to the side and then eventually it had become a pile of notes. When she had moved, she had placed them in the box because by then she had kept so many so why not continue? She blamed this practice on Barbie and Bambi; their sensitivity was toxic. But the notes Iwere/I nice mementos.

Replacing the container back into the bottom of the cardboard box, she covered it with some of the throw pillows her mother had insisted she have. She reinserted the box into the stack and left the room. Grinning again, she grabbed her helmet to leave. This smiling thing was so weird, she felt like Barbie practically.

The ride to work had the same peace she had felt in the apartment. The sun was barely rising when she arrived. She breathed a satisfied sigh, maybe today she would get to scrub in on a cool surgery or maybe even two if she was lucky.

When she walked into the hospital, Cristina remembered there was a reason for her being who she was. Nothing in her life was ever easy.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two **

Ten minutes later Cristina slammed her locker shut. She was frowning, the smile from the early morning gone. Meredith was looking at her, her face concerned while the other interns prepared themselves for another day.

"So the Be Kind, Rewind plan didn't work?" Meredith's voice was full of pity. Cristina hated pity.

"I didn't use it." No details yet. There were too many people around who could hear and say things. It was going to be private.

" Cristina, did you at least make a decision then?"

"Yeah I did. It's done." She paused a moment and stopped frowning. "I made plans."

"Plans?" Meredith smiled. "So you and Burke are all happy or whatever right?"

"Yeah…but he's still here." Pompous ass was still trying to ruin her impending engagement.

She had met him at the entrance of the hospital. Had he been waiting for her? Whatever, it didn't matter anyway. He had started in again with that ridiculous crap about how Burke shouldn't rush her and tried to touch her. The whole time he had been wearing that arrogant smirk that she had hated so much. To top it all off, he had gotten in the elevator with her to continue being irritating. She thought that was a McDreamy thing.

"Oh. That sucks."

"Thank you Meredith for your sincere words of comfort. Really."

"But you have plans and you're Cristina Yang! You're a winner and you're tough and hardcore and ummm…" Meredith paused, apparently struggling to continue. "Is that enough supportive person?"

"Shut it Meredith." Meredith was right…she had plans and Colin Marlowe was not getting in the way.

After rounds, Bailey quickly assigned the other interns. "Yang, you'll be doing cardio today. Now Dr. Marlowe will be participating and if I hear anything about ass-grabbing or any other inappropriate behavior—"

"Won't let me see the OR for a month. I know." Cristina was used to the threat by now.

"I didn't say that Yang and no interrupting. Just come see me…immediately." Bailey didn't seem to be in Nazi mode, but Cristina wasn't sure what was behind the warning. That probably wasn't a good sign.

As Bailey walked away, Burke and Colin approached her. She was screwed, completely and totally screwed. Both of them together would not be a good combination. She knew Burke still felt a bit touchy about the three years thing. Colin would know and he would try to manipulate it to his advantage. This was not good, not good at all. But then she saw the pompous way that Colin was watching her and the glances he gave to Burke…and a plan began to form in her mind.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three **

The patient's room was bright, light shining on his chessboard. His son moved aside as the three doctors took their places by the bedside. The surgery would be in a few hours. Cristina would scrub in on a removal of several cancerous tumors from his lungs.

" Mr. Anthony, how are you doing today?" Burke asked as he scanned the chart.

"Same as usual." He was still focused on the game.

"This is Dr. Marlowe. He's visiting from Stanford and will also be on your surgery. And this is Dr. Yang." She shook his hand.

"You have nothing to worry about. Dr. Burke is an excellent surgeon, the best." She placed a hand against his chest and then decided against it. That was a little too much and Colin would be suspicious.

Burke asked her various questions and she answered them excellently, gauging Colin's reaction. He didn't seem surprised at her ability, but had now decided to stare at her with a look of amusement. Burke began to explain the surgery's procedure to the family exuding calm and confidence. She wasn't sure what to do, how to turn the situation back to her.

When Burke raised his hand to gesture, Cristina placed it between hers. It was an awkward position, but she hoped Colin didn't notice. She plastered a smile on her face as she clutched Burke's hand as if it were a ten blade. Burke seemed surprised, but he took it in stride. She wondered if he noticed the curious looks Colin was giving him. Then she saw the slightest of grins on his face. She was fighting and she was winning.

She tried to make the position more comfortable, but it was impossible. The grin stayed on her face while she held Burke's hands even tighter. She had never done this with Colin and she hoped he would remember. She was doing things with Burke that Colin had only dreamt of. Colin's smirk slipped from his face replaced by a rather serious look. Cristina didn't trust that look. He had plans too, but he would not ruin hers. She was fighting dammit!

She edged closer to Burke and leaned her head on his shoulder. Public displays of affection had always disgusted Cristina and now she was a willing participant. They didn't do this at the hospital. Holding hands was already pushing it and this felt weird, and not in the odd, happy way that she had felt this morning. It felt different when other people could see them. It ruined the moment, not that Cristina Yang enjoyed moments mind you, but it altered the way she handled everything with Burke and she didn't like it.

This was too weird. Cristina needed a new plan.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four **

She couldn't do this. She wasn't that girl, the girl who holds hands in public and acts cute and lovey dovey. Girls like that made her throw up. This was weird and uncomfortable and she could feel the tension in Burke. His fingers were stiff and his elbow pressed into her stomach, and the patient and his son were staring at them.

Surgeons were professional and this plan was not professional. It was not clean-cut or defined. It was impulsive. Oh, let's be honest, she had come up with a stupid plan, pulled an Izzie. Cristina slowly released his hand and returned to her usual role of the attentive student.

Colin had gotten under her skin, pricked a nerve with his you shall never survive a marriage talk. She could have a real relationship; she was having a real relationship. Colin Marlowe was not going to make her lose control again especially not in front of Burke. She would find another way to fight. She had to.

Burke left to check on his other patients, leaving her instructions to prep the patient. Colin, however, being the pompous ass he decided to stay. He asked her a few more questions about the surgery and Cristina gave detailed answers.

"Must be convenient to have a cardiothoracic surgeon as a boyfriend…do you spend your nights studying with him like you did with me?"

"Fiancé. Dr. Marlowe we are in front of patient. It would be best if we kept this professional. I apologize, Mr. Anthony." The man didn't even notice. He and his son were absorbed with their game of chess.

"I'll be back in an hour to finish your prep and take you to the OR." Cristina made a few notes on the chart and exited the room. Calm and control.

"Oh, you're ignoring me and fleeing again, though less like a cockroach in sunlight this time I must admit." Colin smirked.

"Talking about my love life in front of a patient is not professional."

"Oh and holding your current amusement's hand is?" He was calling her unprofessional when he had grabbed her in front of over a dozen people? He was just as arrogant and assuming as she remembered.

"Fiancé. No it wasn't and I corrected that mistake."

"You never did that with me. Every time I reached you would say no that you weren't interested in such _feminine_ acts of affection." His voice was still amused, but there was a slight hint of wistfulness to it.

"I never did a lot of things with you Colin." She paused. The words had stung him. That was surprising. "Now I have a job to do so go somewhere else."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five **

Suction was simple. Every intern could do suction; even Evil Spawn was capable of it. You sucked blood away from the field. It was all about continuing to save a patient's life, to ensure that the surgeon has the best visibility and surface to maneuver with. Basically, it was taking away the bad stuff and balancing everything. And this is what Cristina needed to do: suck the pompous ass out from her and Burke's life.

She could feel his eyes on her. A few more comments about the random bits of her past that Colin knew... Burke would freak out or stop talking to her. Cristina could not deal with that, not again. He was tense, so tense. His replies were almost rude and Colin was picking up on it. He was playing with Burke and Cristina did not know what do.

Now she was sucking blood away from Mr. Anthony and she should focus on that. Not Colin or the fact that Burke's hand was now directing hers. It was a possessive action. Colin's eyes darkened. This was fun, straddling two egos. It was almost as fun as a hangover, but not quite.

Burke's hand was so much larger than Cristina's. It enveloped her hand and maybe she had been hanging out with Meredith too much, but it felt almost like he was shielding her and them. That was disgustingly corny. Yes, definitely hanging out with Meredith way too much.

"Did dear Cristina tell you about being a ballerina? She was rather adorable in those pink tutus."

She never told anyone about her ballet years. Colin had only found out because he had been rifling through her boxes. There was a picture of her with her father at one of her recitals. He always watched her dance. He was there at every recital and every practice at least until…but Cristina didn't talk about that either.

"You…you did ballet?" Burke seemed very surprised. What was wrong with ballet? It required skill and precision just like surgery.

"What, Cristina never told you? Shame, Cristina shame. He is your fiancé after all."

Cristina glared at him, but lucky for her, Burke hadn't noticed. He was staring at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You, Cristina Yang, wore _pink_ tutus and danced?" His eyes were full of amusement now. The anger had almost disappeared.

"Yeah, you have something against ballet Burke?" Keep it light and happy.

He chuckled. "No not at all Dr. Yang."

Colin however didn't seem so happy which worked out perfectly for her. She was winning and winning was fun…especially when Burke laughed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six **

** "**I found a new old guy who doesn't wake up." Meredith grabbed her arm to lead her to the room.

"Uh, Mere what about everyone else? Not that I relish their company or everything, but they are going to try to find us." Balancing the tray and her medical journals was becoming difficult.

"We have to claim the room first and I want details." The old man was snoring softly; he didn't even move a muscle when they entered the room. Cristina hoped that new Sleeping Old Guy would last longer than the last one.

"Details?"

"You made plans and I know you won't tell me in front of Izzie or George so give me the details."

"Why are you so interested?" She knew she was milking it, but clearly Meredith was trying to distract herself from something.

"I'm your person or whatever."

Cristina grinned. "You are." Telling Meredith would make it real.

"Details before they find us."

"Okay. I told him that I wanted a non-religious wedding at City Hall with two witnesses. You, definitely, and McDreamy if Burke wants."

"But Burke is religious and his mother thinks you're a racist stripper or whatever."

"He's Ispiritual/I." Burke's mother. She hadn't thought about that. She could deal with her after she finished with Colin.

"So you're really getting married, tying the knot, taking the whatever—"

"Yeah."

Then Meredith hugged Cristina. She was her person and well, Cristina supposed she had the right to get excited. So she would tolerate the hugging and the girlish laughing because she was Mere. Mere was her person.

"Why are you two all happy?" Izzie seemed angry. Good. Cristina always liked her more when she was pissed off.

"Yang hugs? Weird." Cristina whacked him with her medical journal.

"She hugs. She makes plans and she…" Cristina shot a look at Meredith. "Does things or whatever." It was a rather lame finish, but Meredith always sounded like that.

The other interns busied themselves with eating and doing charts. It was a good lunch. There was no talk about Viagra, or Colin, or her and Burke. Instead they left her alone and became self-absorbed except for Meredith who continued to look over at her with eyes that mingled surprise and happiness.

By the time lunch was over, Cristina had regained some of that contentment she had felt earlier this morning. It was nice. Then, Colin had to come back and continue trying to ruin her impending marriage. Ass.

"A small wedding hmmm? I never thought you were so naïve, Cristina." He smirked.

"You eavesdropped? That's a bit stalkerish." She wanted him to think he had no affect on her whatsoever.

"Oh dear Cristina, you can't possibly believe a small wedding will suffice. Everyone will want to be there you know to witness your declarations of _love_."

"I made plans Colin and that's how it's staying. Now all I need is for you to leave." Cristina tried to sound firm, to ignore him.

"See this is what will happen to your plans. They'll change; you'll compromise. You will invite more people, maybe even add a minister." Cristina snorted. "And then when you watch the control slip from your hands because I know how much you hate that, you'll run and leave your supposed person behind."

"No."

"You were never able to commit Cristina. You're incapable of it." His tone was serious. He meant every word and Cristina knew it.

It wasn't true, was it?


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven **

Colin leaned against the wall, smirking at her. He was waiting for a reply, but Cristina was at a loss for words. He was right in a way. She hadn't committed to him or to any of the men before him. There was no point. She had a career to work toward, and they were passing flirtations. They meant nothing. Burke and she were a couple and that meant commitment.

She had made it for nearly an entire year with him. But what was a year in the scheme of things? What if Colin was right and these months meant nothing. Dr. Grey had said she didn't try hard enough. Cristina could have both; she would have both. She was sticking dammit and Colin was not going to win.

" Colin—Oh Burke!" Later, she would deal with this later.

" Dr. Yang. Prep the OR for the transplant. The heart just arrived." Right, they were doing the professional thing. That meant no staring at Burke or thinking about last night. Professionalism sucked.

"Of course."

Another surgery and another battle of wills. This time they would be in front of other people. The gallery was filled with attendings, observing the Chief's ringer, and some of the other interns. She could see Meredith up there next to Evil Spawn. Even Bailey had taken a seat. On the surface, Cristina knew that it appeared to be Colin and Burke fighting for Chief or even for her. In reality, however, it was Cristina and Marlow. The OR was their field and she was going to walk out. She wondered who was betting on whom.

Colin kept quiet for most of the surgery while Burke fired rapid questions at her. Maybe he was trying to avoid Colin's jabs too. She needed him to open up if she was going to show Burke the extent of her commitment. She wanted to win.

" Dr. Burke did Cristina ever tell you—"He cut himself off. From the look in his eyes, Cristina could tell that he was remembering the last surgery. She had won that time or Burke had won…whatever they won; Colin lost.

"Yes, Dr. Marlowe?" Burke knew it too. His eyebrow was half-cocked.

"Oh, I was just curious of how you and Cristina will handle your wedding, considering she believes it's for the weak." He had already tried this. Was he running out of ideas?

"People change their minds." She stared him directly in the eye.

"Hmmm…are you sure you shan't change it back and break another excellent cardiothoracic surgeon's heart?" Burke tensed next to her.

" Dr. Marlowe. We are in surgery. This is an inappropriate time to discuss—" Burke was trying to defend her, to shield her, doing the boyfriend-no fiancé- thing.

"No, actually Burke it's fine." The nurses would find out anyway just like the story of her being a ballerina was spreading through the hospital like Ebola.

"I won't change my mind. There's no reason to." Burke smiled under his mask, his eyes crinkling.

"No reason to? Really… Cristina, you were always realistic. You don't expect me to believe that you will actually marry and have a ceremony with all of the trimmings?" Colin seemed more frantic now.

"I don't need _you_ to believe anything Colin." Her tone was biting.

He looked shocked, stunned into silence. His eyes darted back and forth between Cristina and Burke. Anger, not annoyance, but true anger was in his eyes now. What else could he try? Right now, it was Cristina 2 and Colin 0.

She was winning and damn, it felt good.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight **

The door to the scrub room slammed shut. Someone was still bitter about losing. What was wrong with people? Didn't they know she was the best? Cristina smirked to herself as she washed her hands. Two successful grafts in one surgery, removing tumors from lungs, beating Colin, and having a hot fiancé to come home to…well, Cristina, as it turned out, Iwas/I having a good day.

"You did a good job, Cristina." Burke smiled.

"I know."

"So you danced ballet?" Was he going to mock her for ballet? Just because she did ballet did not mean that she was any less hardcore or that she had lost her edge. Dammit!

"Yeah."

"You never told me that." He looked a little hurt. He had that look in his eyes, as if she had kicked his puppy.

"It wasn't a big deal. It's not like I do it anymore."

"You told Colin." Here was his real point.

"I never told him. I never told him anything. He went through my stuff and found a picture of me with my dad." His eyes softened just a bit, just enough for her to know he wasn't really mad.

" Saul?"

"No, my real dad." Cristina hoped that he would stay away from this topic. She was still on her high and dead dads tend to ruin highs.

He walked over and stared at her. "I like to know things."

"You know what I want for our wedding." She knew that would get him.

"I do." He pulled her close and kissed her. His hands ran over her back, almost slipping under her scrub top.

" Burke, we're professional remember?" She was a little breathless.

He pouted. "I'm not making out all over the hospital like Meredith and Shepherd, but as for kissing at home…well—"

"Let's go home." Burke was boyishly grinning and Cristina just laughed.

The two of them walked out of the scrub room, both smiling. Cristina was happy and tomorrow she would finish what was left with Colin. Tomorrow the Chief candidate list would be pared down and hopefully, Colin would be gone. She needed to make that clean cut, so he would have no more chances to ruin her impending marriage.

"I forgot to tell you earlier. During lunch I called Mama."

"You…you called your mother? The one who thinks I'm a dirty racist stripper?" Cristina couldn't believe this.

"Mama doesn't think of you like that Cristina. She says you're smart. She likes you."

"Yeah, and Meredith is sober," Cristina muttered under her breath.

"I didn't catch that."

"Nothing, nothing. Burke what did you tell her?"

"About the wedding. She's my mama; she deserves to know." Fantastic, now his mother would probably come here and shoot her for daring to tie precious Preston to her selfishness.

"What did she say?" Cristina tried to keep her voice level.

"She and Daddy are coming to see us with your mother and step-father." She almost groaned, but caught herself in time.

"You called my_ mother_?" This couldn't be real. Two mothers at once?

"Of course…They're family Cristina. Did you expect us to tell them after?"

"Did we have to at all?" He frowned when she said that. "So both of our mothers are coming?"

"Yes."

Mother—


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine **

" Cristina, Mama called."

He was pouting a little, staring at her with sad eyes from behind his glasses. So she had withheld sex. She had a right to. He had called their mothers, his _Mama_. One thought she a miserable daughter, and the other had called her a racist dirty stripper and selfish. Mothers were not good. She would kill them or they would kill her. Maybe if she was lucky they would kill each other and save her the work.

"Our parents are coming this weekend."

"Wait, what? Burke, that's like in two days!"

"The plane arrives Friday night so less than two days." Oh, he was amused. His eyebrow arched and there he was laughing at her before breakfast. Well no sex for him tonight too.

" Burke, your mother hates me and you better make sure we're never alone." The Face of Evil, as she had taken to calling her, would probably kill her.

"Mama's sweet. She'll love you and you'll love her." He was so optimistic for this. Fine let him believe the lie. She was going to work.

"Fine whatever. I'm taking the bike again. Bye Burke." She waved and left.

"No breakfast?"

"No. I have a _thing_ to do." She was going to talk to Colin and right now was not the best time to tell Burke.

"Bye Cristina." He looked disappointed. Calling mothers meant he didn't get kisses either. She waved and left.

She had paged Colin, asking him to meet her in the cafeteria. In a sick way she wanted everyone to see, everyone to watch as she settled things. She didn't care what they thought, but it affected Burke. As much he denied it, it mattered to him; it spread doubt and that had to stop. So let the nurses watch. Let them gossip and giggle about that bitch intern who beat the great Colin Marlow. Let them.

Here she was, sitting at a table, waiting for him. She studied her hands for a moment, ignoring the curious looks. She had rounded and was done with her job. Nothing would stop her even if the ass was going to shop up late. Her goal was to be civil.

" Cristina, have you finally come to your senses?" Colin sat across from her.

"About what?"

"Marriage. You're not the marrying kind. Not at all." He sounded so serious now, the usual amusement gone from his voice.

"How would you know that Colin? Just because I said no to you—"

"We were together for three years. Three years! In all that time I proposed to you five times and you said no. In a three year relationship the next logical step is to marry!"

"We were comfortable, Colin. We met two times a week and that was it."

"We could have had more if you had moved in with me or if you had said yes." He sounded wistful.

"I didn't want to. There was absolutely no reason to." It was plain and simple. She was vaguely proud of herself for keeping so calm.

"There was every reason to!" He was getting angrier. People were starting to stare. "Security, company, and for god sakes me, Cristina, me. I would have taken care of you. I would have taught you through your residency. I would have got you on advanced surgeries. Your position as chief resident would have been assured."

Cristina took a deep breath. "I didn't need you to get any of that. In case you didn't remember I was first in my class Colin and that was certainly without your help."

"Oh, you don't need my help, but you will use his?" The others weren't even pretending not to watch now.

"I don't need his help either. I'm not in it for the education Colin. Not at all."

"Not in it for the education? Don't lie Cristina. You were always in it for the education. You're nothing but a robot."

"Believe what you want to believe. I don't want Burke for his teaching abilities. I want him for something else." She spotted Meredith, Izzie, and Bambi out of the corner of her eye.

"Am I to believe that the cold, calculating Cristina Yang has lost her edge? What's next changing to obstetrics?" Continually switching points must be tiring.

"I have my edge. I can have both and I will have both."

"There you are being naïve again." He smirked, thinking he had hit his point home.

"I will have both because I am Cristina Yang and I'm not going to give up because some bitter old man has come to ruin my impending marriage." Screw civility.

"Bitter? I deserve to be bitter. You left me without a word, without a goodbye. When my girl—"

" Girlfriend, Colin? I was never your girlfriend. I was just one of many so go back to them and leave me and Burke alone."

He stared at her a moment, eyes furious and fists clenching. "None of them were you."

"Don't you get it, Colin? None of that matters because I don't want _you_. I want Burke." Hopefully, this would end it.

Then he kissed her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten **

He had grabbed her from across the table, pulling her into a tight kiss. At first she was so surprised at his actions, she could not move, could not react, could think. Colin Marlow, her ex was kissing her. After a few seconds, she jolted back into reality and furiously tried to break his grasp, but he was holding one of her arms and the other was pressing her face into his. She could not break free of him. He would not let go.

Suddenly, she was free, gasping for clean hospital air. When had Evil Spawn and Meredith gotten here? She had blinked and now Evil Spawn had pulled Colin off of her. His face, Evil Spawn's that is, looked ugly and angry. He was yelling something at Colin, but she couldn't hear. She couldn't hear what Meredith was saying either because she could see Burke, who always looked so handsome in his rainbow colored scrub cap, walking away.

He was walking away from her like she had walked away from him. When had he come? Had he been watching the entire time? He was too far away to hear anything but Colin's yells; nothing of her quiet, pointed responses could have floated to the cafeteria. But he could still see and he had seen something she had never wanted to happen. Something that would take a lot more than foot-sex to erase.

She whirled around and saw Bailey coming down the stairs in full on Nazi mode. This was not good. At least the sound was coming back now that Burke had gone. She could no longer stare at Burke's back; he was gone. Everyone was yelling and the sound was crashing down now, voices over voices, a cacophony that overwhelmed her.

"Unhand me! I am Colin—"

"Dude, you kissed Yang. People don't touch Yang. They just don't."

"She's my person and you kissed her! What the he—"

"Look at her, she's just standing there—"

"She doing Karev too?"

"I can't believe you touched her. Ass!"

"Don't know, maybe she sure likes her—"

"Karev get your hands off—"

" Burke is going to slaughter—"

"I said get your—"

Sound so much sound, so much noise, so much screaming and confusing. No, she could not deal with this. They were still yelling, continuing while she stood there, confused. All this yelling, all this screaming and anger. She could not stand, could not stand Evil Spawn's sardonic comments laced with anger, Bailey's barked orders, or Meredith's righteous indignation. It was just too much.

"Shut it," she said quietly, almost a whisper. Anything to stop the noise, this barrage of sound, but no one stopped. "SHUT IT!"

Everyone fell quiet, their eyes turning to stare at the girl who had just been kissed by her ex. Their eyes bore into her, cold eyes, mocking eyes, pitiful eyes. They were waiting for her to speak. She knew that, but now that they were all quiet…she did know what to say. Any harsh, cruel, cynical Cristina comments were lost in the image of a fading back. Right now, in this moment, Cristina Yang was absolutely speechless.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven **

"What are you all looking at? Don't you have work to do, lives to save?" Everyone stared at Bailey, fear in their eyes. "Go!" They went, even the attendings and visitors.

Bailey's scary ability to command everyone was a constant in her life. A constant Cristina could depend on and for once this constant was actually comforting her, bring her back to some level of functionality. She looked around, watching more backs moving, but not seeing the one she needed, not seeing the one she wanted to be here.

"Karev, I said get your hands off Dr. Marlow." Evil Spawn reluctant let go, but stood close as if ready to tackle him. It was odd, Alex being here.

"Thank you Dr. um…Dr….Doctor. Now I shall take your leave." Colin attempted to straighten his wrinkled suit, trying to regain a sense of dignity. He failed miserably.

"Did I say you could leave?" Bailey glared.

"I am an attending and a chief canidate. I have seniority over you."

"Does it look like I care?" She pointed to a chair and he sat down.

"Grey, Karev take Yang to the locker room. I will deal with the three of you there."

The three interns made a show of reluctantly leaving; well Meredith and Alex did while she stumbled along dazed. Alex gestured toward a doorway where they would still be in earshot. If Cristina had been in a better mood, she would have loved to her Bailey ream into someone besides the interns, but Burke's back was stuck in her mind, him walking away replaying over and over and over.

"This is the second time you have harassed one of my interns." See Bailey knew everything.

"One of your interns just grabbed me." He sounded indignant.

"He will be dealt with, but you I am going to take care of you right now. Yang is my intern, my smart, bedside manner deficient intern. I don't care what you two were back at Stanford. It doesn't matter." Colin started to speak. "No, I'm not done. You do not get to interrupt me. You grabbed her butt in front of the hospital. Then today in the cafeteria you kissed her. If this is how you are everyday I do not understand how you haven't had a sexual harassment suit."

"Need I remind you I have seniority and my love life is my business."

"Oh you made your love life my business the moment you touched one of my interns. Now you will leave her the heck alone or—"

"Or what, you'll fire me? I'm not an intern."

"Did I not say _no_ interrupting? I am the Nazi. I know all and see all and your stay here will be a living hell."

There was silence, probably a stare-down. "You may go, Dr. Marlow."


	12. Chapter 12

Cristina ransacked her locker. She needed to find toothpaste and her toothbrush. Clothes, empty food bags, and her other possessions went flying to the floor. She needed to find her toothbrush. She couldn't talk to Burke like this, not with his taste still in her mouth. In some part of her mind, Cristina knew she sounded and looked insane to Meredith and Alex, but the matter of toothpaste seemed of utmost importance.

" Cristina, what are you looking for?" Meredith had her concerned person voice on right now, but Cristina was not focusing on that. She was focusing on the still missing toothbrush and toothpaste.

"She's not going to lay down on the bathroom floor is she?"

"No that's what Izzie does. Cristina might kill Cardio God though." Ha! She had found her toothbrush. Now there was only the toothpaste left.

"So he's going to die by toothbrush?" Alex sounded slightly disturbed.

" Cristina, if you tell me what you're looking for, I'll help you."

"No, it's fine. I'm fine. Go talk to McDreamy in an elevator or something." Cristina examined the pile of clothes on the floor. Her locker was empty; it had to be in there.

"Yang, you're totally not fine. Some old dude just kissed you." She flicked him an evil glance before returning to her search. There it was in a jacket pocket.

She grabbed the toothpaste and went to the sink where she began furiously brushing. In the mirror she saw Meredith and Alex looking very scared. Whatever, she had to brush her teeth. Brush, rinse, repeat. Over and over until she couldn't taste him anymore, until she couldn't even remember the taste of him.

"Why is Yang brushing her teeth?"

"Maybe it's another form of denial or whatever." Shut up Meredith.

"Should we stop her?"

"She might hurt us." She would.

It wasn't gone. She could still remember what happened when he kissed her. A receding back, angry broad shoulders, and a rainbow colored scrub cap. The plan as it happened had failed miserably. Now she had to brush her teeth. It was three steps, simple and finite. She needed to continue doing this because it was logical and made sense. People brushed their teeth all the time. It was healthy and maybe if she was lucky she would forget about the back too.

"Why in the heck is Yang brushing her teeth?" Bailey had arrived.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen **

"Yang, stop brushing your teeth."

"No, have to get rid of it. I'm fine Bailey." Brush, rinse, repeat.

"You're brushing so hard, your gums will bleed and you'll miss a day of surgery." She paused long enough for Meredith to rip the toothbrush from her hand.

"You two." Meredith and Alex cowered. "Karev, I told you never to lay hands on anyone ever again. B—"

"But he was kissing Yang and—"

"No interrupting. Why is everyone interrupting me today? Do I have some sign on the middle of my forehead? Be that as it may, you will apologize to Dr. Marlow." Bailey wasn't actually angry. Cristina could tell.

"Fine." He stalked off, anger blurring his features.

Cristina continued to watch the three of them in a mirror. It was a reverse on the world because she was outside in a place where there was nothing. Nothing at all, nothing but the image of a back replaying over and over again. He had walked away and that toothbrush dangling from Meredith's hand was her scalpel. She was brushing away this thing that had happened to her. She needed to think.

" Grey go finish your cases."

"But Cristina—"

"Go." Even in the mirror, Bailey's gaze was powerful and Meredith went, still holding her toothbrush.

"Yang, Cristina turn around." So she turned, sitting down on the hard bench.

She didn't want to talk, to acknowledge the painful reality of her situation. Everything had seemed so simple, clear cut, and defined this morning. 1. Make the score 3-0 and beat Colin permanently. 2. Find some really good alcohol to deal with the mothers.

"Tell me why it's always my interns that do inappropriate things in this hospital."

"I don't know." Cristina stared at the swirls on the wooden bench, watching them spin across and swirl.

"You don't know why you slept with your boss, stripped for my boss, and all the other stupid things you did…you don't know why that happened?"

She stayed silent, wondering if Bailey would go on a Nazi tirade. "You hid tremors and got your ass grabbed and today you were kissed…you can't tell me why that happened? I never thought you were so damn stupid Yang."

"I'm not." She was Cristina Yang, dammit.

"Oh really, you could have fooled me."

"I'm the best intern you have. I'm not stupid."

"But you are. Because see you're engaged to Dr. Burke and you go and kiss Colin Marlowe in front of the whole damn hospital." What the hell was Bailey doing?

"He kissed me. He's a pompous ass who is trying to ruin my wedding!" This wasn't fair, why was she getting yelled at?

"So go fix it then. The things I have to do for my interns…" Now Bailey was smiling in a un-Nazi like way that truly scared Cristina.

Bailey was right. She had to fix things. She was fighting. One stupid little kiss was not going to stop her. She would win because her last image of Burke could not be him walking away.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen **

His name wasn't on the board for any current surgeries. Where could he be? Ignoring the whispers and the stares, Cristina looked through the halls, searching in corners and odd little places that no man of his size could ever fit. Yet everywhere she looked, she did not see the rainbow colored scrub cap or the broad back that had walked away. Instead she heard whispered insults and mocking gossip; she felt stares and without Bailey to give her reverse-psychology her resolve wavered. She needed to find him. She knew this. She just didn't know what to do after.

The logical thing to do would be to page him. Cristina didn't want their first interaction to be over texts, a bunch of digitized letters on a screen. It had to be real, this meeting. The conflict had to be real or she wouldn't believe it had existed. She needed to see his face, to gauge the hurt, anger, or whatever emotions he was feeling. She had to make sure she wouldn't see what she was afraid of.

Because it would break her.

She knew this somewhere deep down in her mushy places. Cristina had lost him once already. The first man to make her cry, the first man to break through the cold hardcore exterior she flaunted. The man she had said yes to had walked away and now she could not find him in the once comforting halls of the hospital.

She knew what he had felt or what she thought he had felt when he saw her freeze, when he saw her fall apart in his surgery. When she walked away, he had held it deep inside, internalizing the anger only to let it burst forth. She did not want to do that because the cracks had formed already. She had lost a battle today.

The question was if she could handle the consequences. There was one last place to look, one place she should have checked from the beginning. Her hand on the knob trembled slightly, but not enough to rattle the knob, not enough to alert anyone inside. She took a deep breath and opened the door to their on-call room, the place they had their first kiss, their break up, and countless other moments.

" Burke?" She whispered his name, but her voice rang clear in the deep silence of the room.

"I don't want to talk to you right now." His voice was cold. He was lying on the lower bunk with his hands behind his head staring intensely upwards.

She came closer. "Burke… I—"

"I don't want to talk to you Cristina." He stood up and brushed by her. "I have surgeries to get too."

He walked out the door and again all she saw was the rainbow colored scrub cap and a receding back. Again.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen **

Cristina collapsed onto the bunk. He had walked away again and here she was alone. She thought that her fighting would be enough, that her striving to defeat the man from her past would be enough. It should have been enough if he hadn't kissed her, if he hadn't violated her relationship in such a way.

She knew what she needed to do. She needed to end this conflict. Returning to her earlier plan, despite a setback, had to happen…but Cristina could not get off the bed. It was still warm from his flesh and still smelled of him. She curled up, the pillow pressed to her head, and contemplated any possible solutions. How?

There was a knock on the door. "Occupied. Go away."

" Cristina?" It was Meredith.

"I'm sleeping Meredith." She turned over.

"You're doing a great job of it, you know with the whole eyes being open and everything." She sat down on the bed.

"Well, I'm skilled."

"Why are you in here and not talking to Burke?" _Today,_ today she decides to be direct.

"He's in surgery."

"Aren't you going to go do the meaningful gazing thing then?"

"Uh, no that's what you and McDreamy do."

"What happened to happy Cristina and Burke."

"I have an ex who has just ruined my impending marriage." Cristina sighed.

"But you have plans and you're Cristina. Why don't you go kick his ass?"

"Don't you remember the kissing and then the Nazi with her whatever and the staring and the uselessness?" What the hell, now she sounded like Meredith.

"See this is where we're supposed to have the moment and be all comforting, but I'm self-centered so I want you to get up and go talk to both of your cardio people so you don't have to sleep at my house tonight…because I want to have sex with my boyfriend, so get up." The role reversal was freaking Cristina out.

Then they both were paged. The Chief had an announcement. Everyone had to go to the nursing station. Had the board already made their decision? If it was Colin, Cristina wouldn't know what to do and if it was Burke…she didn't know what to do there either. She hated not having answers.

She saw his back again. He was in his dark blue scrubs with that same rainbow-colored scrub cap. Colin, on the opposite side of the room, was glaring at Burke. She needed to talk to both of them to make sure on would leave and one would stay. 

"I know all of you have been waiting on the board's decision. But I have decided to rescind my retirement plan. I'm not ready to let go of the hospital yet so I'm still the Chief." People stared at him, utterly confused. "You can proceed with your work now."

She tried to break through the crowd to get to Burke. But everyone was rushing back to their jobs and getting in her way. His face turned and she saw the look of disappointment on his face and she wanted to comfort him. She was so close to him now, almost close enough to touch. Cristina reached out to grab his arm before he left. He turned and looked, his eyes blazing. Yet his eyes were not trained on her, but on someone else.

It was Colin.

Now was the time.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen **

She could feel the tenseness in Burke's arm, the muscles barely flexing. He shrugged her off before turning to stride away. She let her hand fall to her side, hanging uselessly. She could feel the nurses watching from behind their charts, waiting for an explosion, for the intern to freak out or even better for their attending too. Arrogant surgeons going at it must entertain them.

"Hmmm, guess those declarations of love between you and your _person_ aren't happening after all." His hands were in his suit pockets and he was wearing that same smirk he wore when he first arrived.

Burke whirled around and looked at her. "Your person?"

She looked him in the eye. "Yeah. Whatever right?"

"Right." He nodded, a grin spreading across his face, the angry line of his back relaxing.

Colin appeared confused as his gaze traveled between the two of them. She knew he thought the barbed comment was supposed to hurt her, to tear apart her and Burke. She knew this and she knew that Colin was desperate to win. She could see him thinking that the kiss had shattered any chance of survival for her and Burke.

"Why do you continue to harass my fiancée Dr. Marlow?" Burke stepped closer to stand next to her.

"She was mine before she was ever yours," Colin hissed.

"I wasn't aware that anyone owned Cristina, but I suppose that's my mistake." A bit of Burke's usual cockiness emerged in his voice.

"I could teach her so much more than you. I am more than you'll ever be." His words tried to be scathing, but Burke was not affected.

"She's not with me for the education." He grinned again.

" Colin leave. The Chief isn't retiring." She was going to try to be civil again because right now the satisfaction the nurses would get from one of her outbursts outweighed her own personal desires.

"There's still something here. I shall not leave until you admit that you are not the marrying kind." He looked old and tired now, not strong enough to shoulder the burden of his words.

"I am marrying him, Colin. Get used to it. There is nothing for you here."

He looked at her. "I kissed you today." Burke's eyes blazed again.

"You did and I should kick your ass for that, but I'm not going to."

Colin had shrunken in on himself, defeat etched on his face. "Why not?"

"You're not worth it. Just leave Colin."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen **

Flush with excitement and happiness, Cristina sped through Seattle to Burke's home, to her home. She had watched Colin leave the hospital, face twisted in a bitter scowl. He was hunched over, clutching a briefcase as if it was his lifeline. Hidden behind one of the plants in the lobby, she saw him turn a blistering gaze on the hospital as if cursing it for his loss. The sight brought a smile to her face. No one said she had to be a gracious winner. Then he had heaved a great big sigh and stumbled out the hospital and out of her life.

She ran up the stairs because the elevator couldn't arrive fast enough and she wanted to see him. Being an attending, he had been able to leave earlier while she stayed in the pit suturing teenage boys who had never heard of helmets. He should be happy. She had won; they had won, and now the pompous ass who had tried to ruin her impending marriage was on a flight back to hell or as other people called it, California.

When she opened the door, he was at the stove, a dish towel thrown over his shoulder. He was humming something jazzy. She didn't know it, but it sounded strong, bold and very Burke. She came up behind him and kissed him on the cheek, breathing in the sweet scent of him mixed in with whatever he was cooking.

"He's gone?"

"Yeah, he's gone." He turned around, grinning. He pulled her close and kissed her hair before giving her a bit of the pasta to taste.

"So I'm your person, huh?" He stared at her with those intense eyes while he dished out their food.

"You're my guy person. Don't make a big deal out of it." But she knew he would make a big deal of it. He would think of it as one of those steps and make it all important when to her it was just a fact, something that simply was.

"Okay." Liar.

"We're getting married?" There he went, being all vulnerable and the girl in the relationship. This part of him had grown on her.

"Yeah, Burke." She laughed. "I think we've established that."

"And you want it?"

"Yeah."

He was watching her again while she ate. Burke was giving her one of his intense looks where he didn't blink. It was unnerving yet calmed her in inexplicable ways. She had won and this, this man, was her prize.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen **

Okay, she had broken her no sex tonight rule…twice. So sue her. She had won and a girl deserved her rewards, especially after beating the ass who had tried to ruin her marriage by grabbing her ass and kissing her in front of all her coworkers. Cristina sighed in pleasure as she settled herself between his arms.

"Our mothers are coming later." He was stroking her arm, making circular patterns.

"See this is the afterglow part of the sex, Burke, and you're kind of ruining it with the talk about our mothers." She had forgotten that their families were coming today. Damn.

He trailed kisses down her neck. "I just wanted to remind you but if you want to talk about something else…or do something else…"

"Yeah?" There we go.

"Yeah." She could feel his breath against her neck when he spoke. "Just remember to get off your shift early because we have to pick them up."

"No. I never pick up my mother." She turned and looked at him, stopping the movement of his wandering hand.

"But it's my mama. I always pick her up when she comes into town." His voice sounded plaintive.

"Then you can pick her up."

"Why don't you want to pick her up?" He seemed so confused. Had he never hear stories about wives and their mother in laws?

Cristina sighed. "She hates me." Wasn't that obvious?

"What about your mother then?"

"Oh she loves you, but she hates me."

" Cristina, that's your mother and my family will be yours too." He used his disapproving voice. She bit back a sarcastic remark and stayed silent.

"That's part of the deal." Unfortunately, she thought.

"I'm not picking them up." She would be firm in this and besides it was doubtful that Bailey would even let her leave early.

"Fine."

They rolled away from one another, the comfortable proximity lost. Silence fell over the room, the only sound the ticking clock. Cristina stared at the ceiling, refusing to look at Burke, knowing that he wasn't looking at her either. She could not spend over an hour enclosed in a car with her mother and his mother. It would be too much, an overload of anger and unexpressed tension. But she couldn't tell Burke that because he would take it personally or play mediator and last time that happened, she was selfish.

"My mother will always be there." He finally said.

She sighed again. "I know."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen **

"Want to go to Joe's?" Meredith asked, as she changed out of her scrubs.

"I can't. The mothers are here and I have to eat dinner with them." Cristina slammed her locker shut.

"Oh, do they know that you're doing the City Hall thing and not whatever?"

"No."

Meredith laughed. "You are so screwed."

"Yeah." Meredith was right.

"You want me to do the fake crisis thing?"

"I can't. Burke would know and I have to deal with them eventually. Colin and the mothers all in one week." She sighed.

She gathered her stuff. She had less than ten minutes to make it to the restaurant. Even with the way she rode her bike, she would be at least five minutes late. And she was tired from working in the clinic all day. This was not going to be good. She would be the dirty racist stripper who shows up late.

She needed a plan. She was a planner. By age five she had decided she wanted to be a doctor. By age nine she had decided she wanted to be a surgeon. When she was a freshman, she knew exactly what colleges she would apply to and what scholarships. Five year plans were child's play. She had her entire life planned out. High school, college, med school, her residency, and then becoming Chief someday.

Burke hadn't been part of the plan, she admitted that. Her thank you for coffee had been a spontaneous reaction. No thoughts about consequences. She had just done it and Cristina was certainly not going to start complaining now. Burke had thrown her plans off a bit, but she had adjusted.

So now facing two mothers who hated her, Cristina needed a plan. This was what she did when she wasn't being sarcastic or spending time with Burke. She planned. Except this time, Cristina knew she wouldn't have a plan in time. She had no idea how to tell her mother that no she would not get to decorate her miserable daughter's wedding. Hell, it had already taken her a long time to tell Burke.

At least Burke had picked a more casual restaurant, knowing that she would be coming from work. He had been a bit angry this morning, curt during breakfast. She had a right to not want to speak to her mother. He hadn't grown up with that woman.

When she walked in, she could already see him. His face happy and grinning as he talked to their parents. He was charming them. Her mother loved him. His mother loved him. Saul, who had been a quiet man, was even grinning. They all loved him. She approached the table and set a polite smile on her face before sitting down next to Burke.

Before she could even say hello, her mother said, " Cristina, you're late!" Her tone was reprimanding and half-embarrassed. Jane merely pursed her lips.

It was going to be a long dinner.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty **

"Hello Mrs. Burke, Mr. Burke. How are you? How was the flight?" She was going to try her hardest to be civil.

"We're fine Cristina. I was sorry to see you could not pick us up." She had an edge in her voice.

"I had to work."

"This is why a career in surgery could damage your future with Preston. Have you considered a change in specialty?" Cristina stayed silent, ignoring the question.

"Mama, Cristina's a surgeon and she's learning quickly." Burke tried to defend her, but he sounded like a little boy.

"That is because she has you as a teacher, Preston." She patted his hand, ever the adoring mother.

" Mother, Saul. How are you?" Her voice was strained, fighting to keep back angry words.

" Cristina! You've never asked me that before. Are you sick? Or pr—"

"No, Mother I'm fine. Nothing's wrong with me." She interrupted quickly, hoping that Jane could not complete her mother's phrase.

"If you're sick, Cristina, you should not have come. We can't afford to all become ill."

"No, really I'm fine Mrs. Burke. I'm just a little tired." Dammit she had stepped into the trap again.

"You wouldn't be this tired if you were in obstetrics…" The men were sitting their, silent, practically twiddling their thumbs. Useless.

"Look the food's here." Burke could see her desperation. He reached under the table and squeezed her hand.

The clinking of silverware filled the table. This brief interlude calmed Cristina. She needed focus, back into the zone. As she cut into her steak, Cristina considered her options. One, be weak and acquiesce. Two, fight. She wasn't going to become some baby monitor just because [I Jane[/I was a sexist who thought she couldn't handle the job and Burke. She would have both.

When they were mostly done with their meals, Jane pulled out a notebook. "Now we'll need to discuss the details of your wedding. I understand that Cristina is Jewish so we will need a rabbi and a minister. Now do you two want it here in Seattle, Alabama, or at home?"

She didn't know that Cristina wanted City Hall and no religious crap. Had Burke not told her? Cristina stuttered. "Um.. Mrs. Burke I uh…I mean Bur— Preston and I were um…"

"Yes?"

Burke looked at Cristina, his face pained. " Cristina and I have decided we want a wedding at City Hall with just a few witnesses. No rabbis or ministers, Mama."

"What?" Jane asked, while glaring at Cristina.

Burke quailed under that stare. He was breaking. "We can do it at City Hall without them. We don't need that or want that," Cristina said.

Their mothers stared in shock.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One **

The table had fallen silent after that declaration. Burke's mother was spearing her carrots with sharp jabbing motions. She was picturing Cristina's face. Cristina knew it. Burke's dad had attempted to start a conversation among the men about sports, but that had failed when his wife glared at him. Her own mother was staring at her in utter disbelief, fork poised above her meal.

What was the big deal? Well, she knew what the big deal was. Her mother, ever since she was a little girl, had waited anxiously for the day Cristina would get married…the day she could become mother of the bridezilla and spread terror among wedding planners and decorators. She remembered when her mother had asked her about it when she was a little kid, setting up Barbie dolls with Ken in little altars. She remembered saying no and knocking the display apart. Even then she had hated the wedding atmosphere. Her mother had to know how she felt. She could not have expected Cristina to suddenly become the daughter she wanted. She wasn't girly. It was as simple as that.

She quietly excused herself, desperate to escape this deafening silence. Inside the rest room, Cristina stared at herself in the mirror, noticing how tired she looked. The happiness had drained from her face because of his [Imama[/I. She closed her eyes and leaned forward, her forehead almost touching the mirror. When she opened her eyes again, there she was. The Face of Evil.

"You are selfish." Cristina stayed silent, continuing to watch her in the mirror.

"You are selfish and you don't deserve him. Yet he insists on marrying you, and I will honor that, but a wedding with a few witnesses…that's horrible." She paused. "I will give my son the wedding he deserves even if it must be with you." Cristina still refused to turn around. Something about the mirror changed the harshness in her voice, the venom that spewed forth.

" Preston deserves a large wedding, a grand wedding, and I will not let you take that away from him." Taking away something from Burke?

"No," she whispered, knowing it was barely audible.

"What did you say, Cristina?"

Cristina pulled herself away from the sink and headed for the door. She knew she was going to regret this but she turned around and said, "I'm not taking anything away from him because he wants me, Mrs. Burke." The look on her face made it worth it.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I am returning to the table."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two **

She was staring at herself in the mirror again. A sigh escaped her lips. The remainder of the dinner had been filled with tension. Stilted small talk and half-insulting answers swirled around the table. Time had slowed, the dinner seeming to last forever. But now she was at home, the crazy evil mothers and the silent fathers left in their hotels. No doubt they were fuming over her and Burke.

Tomorrow would be no better. She had to take half a day off to go dress shopping. Her mother would try to force her into some hideous monstrosity that had sleeves. The Face of Evil would probably try to make her look the part of the southern belle, a victim of patriarchal values. Tomorrow would suck.

At least she was home, in her own apartment away from disappointed looks and stares. Now she just needed to find a drink that could get her through the next three days. A drink that would somehow convince the Face of Evil she wasn't a dirty racist stripper.

So tomorrow she would go back to being the civil, polite fiancée. She would try on ugly dresses, knowing it would temporarily erase last night…at least until she picked her dress. She would pretend that she actually cared about accessories and perfume and colors. Three days of playing nice wouldn't kill her, just drive her to alcohol. And she wouldn't be alone; she'd drag along Meredith whether Meredith liked it or not.

She knew that the old Cristina would have ranted and raved at a woman who dared to try and change her. But this new Cristina, the one she was learning to become, knew that sometimes she had to please other people. That sometimes it was worth it. Biting back her tongue had to be her plan because Burke loved his mama, and she couldn't afford to have the Face of Evil's hate infect Burke and change his mind.

She just couldn't.

So she would try to be nice, or at least civil for three more days as long as in the end she would win and her play would stay the same.

She walked out the bathroom and saw Burke curled up with a medical journal. Cristina crawled over him, pulling up the covers around them. His arm wrapped around her shoulder, pulling her closer next to him. He kissed her on the forehead before turning off the light and settling down.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her ear. "Mama shouldn't have—"

"Don't be." He would not take her actions onto himself. Burke didn't deserve that.

"Still."

"I know Burke." She resolutely closed her eyes, wanting to forget today.

"Thank you, Cristina."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three **

" Cristina, you're going to be late." Meredith was standing next to her.

"I'm doing sutures. I'm taking care of a patient." She was doing the stitches slowly and carefully. She did care about her patients after all.

"You hate sutures. You're avoiding leaving or whatever." Damn Meredith.

"No, I'm being a person and taking care of my patients. It's my job." She moved on to another patient, another idiot who was incapable of using a knife.

"Hey, what did you do with evil, sarcastic Cristina? I want her back."

"The mothers are here. The real Cristina checked out." Another patient finished. She was efficient.

"Whatever. Either way we're going to be late. Plus Izzie and Callie are meeting us out front." No more patients. Dammit. Maybe she should say it's quiet and car crash victims would pour in. Wait what had Meredith said?

" Barbie and Bambi's wife? Together? Are you insane?"

"They need to be friendly or whatever. Besides if they start arguing and go all cage fighter, we can sneak out the back." She had only wanted Meredith at the wedding, but it was too late now. Izzie and Callie had arrived.

" Cristina, you're in scrubs!"

"Congratulations, Izzie your eyes do work." Callie smirked behind her.

"Look, I got these magazines for you so you can look at them in the car." Crazy, happy people with magazines scared her.

She reluctant went to her locker, changing into jeans and a top. She couldn't put it off anymore; her phone was ringing. No doubt it was her mother, reprimanding her for a lack of respect for punctuality. There they were in the lobby, waiting with identical looks of disappointment and impatience on their faces.

The Face of Evil had that same notebook from last night, the one embossed with a picture of a bride and a groom. Apparently she was still holding on to the hope that Cristina would surrender and have a big, fancy wedding. Delusional and in denial.

She greeted them. She even managed to remember to be polite and introduce Izzie and Callie. Izzie, of course being Izzie, immediately warmed up to the two of them with her shiny blondeness. When they left the building, she noticed a look between the two mothers that traveled to the four of them. That did not bode well, but this would take a few hours.

It couldn't be that bad, right?


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four **

This dress, if it could even be called that, had sleeves and lacy patterns. It disgusted her. Yet it was still better than some of the other ones she had rejected. The Face of Evil had tried to convince to wear dress after hideous dress. From puffy to frou-frou she had seen them all, and already she was getting a migraine. Maybe this was her new strategy, destroying a wedding through ugly dresses.

The mirror only enhanced the fact that she hated the dress because now she could see her scowl in three different panes. Meredith approached, hand hiding her mouth and her laughing. Callie smirked and then burst into laughter. Izzie however remained on the couch, perusing the magazines that she had got for her dead ex cardio-patient/fiancé.

"You just look so beautiful, Cristina."

"What did I say about sarcasm?"

Meredith grabbed locks of her hair and held them up. Now she looked even worse. "You should put your hair up."

"Shut it."

"I'm fulfilling my maid of honor whatever."

"This dress is hideous. Even _I_ cannot do hot in this." Cristina fingered the sleeves, wondering if the attendants would storm her if she ripped them into tiny pieces.

"It is. You can do better than that," Callie said.

"Help me get out of this."

The three of them struggled with the buttons and the zippers. When Cristina tried to pull it over her head, it refused to move. The material was frickin bonded to her and now she couldn't move her arms. The look on Meredith and Callie's face made her laugh. They were both trying to hold in laugher, but then the three of them failed miserably.

When she finally got out of the dress, she saw the mothers. "I'm not wearing that dress."

"But, Cristina, Preston would love it." No, he wouldn't.

"Whatever." The Face of Evil pursed her lips in disapproval.

"Come with me please and we'll look at shoes and your other accessories." Cristina reluctantly followed. "Oh, girls, I found some adorable dresses for you."

Cristina smirked when she saw their faces. Oh, revenge. She waved at them before leaving, envisioning their faces of misery in her head.

"Now, here are heels and a few veils and even some tiaras. Let's start with the veils." Her mother was already pulling a few off their stands.

"I'm not wearing mosquito netting on my face."

"This is fine-quality lace, Cristina. You should appreciate the opportunity to wear this." Cristina restrained herself from rolling her eyes.

"Mother, I'm not wearing a veil."

"Fine, what about the tiaras?"

"No, mother. This is not princess dress up day; it's a wedding." Her mother heaved a sulky sigh, no doubt cursing her luck.

"Well, if your daughter can't graciously take a few suggestions, I suppose we will have to continue looking for dresses before we purchase shoes." Her mother's eyes narrowed, but she nodded.

When they returned to the dress section, Cristina started laughing. There they were, the three of them lined up like statues in front of the mirror. The three of them switched between horrified looks and amused glances. She couldn't let them wear those. No ugly dresses at her wedding.

She came closer to start mocking them, but then she saw a dress. It was hanging innocently on a rack. Strapless and an ivoryish white, it looked so simple, just like she wanted. There was no extra lacy crap or frilly embroidery. Just the dress with simple lines and it was her size. There was a light layer over the skirt, almost like gauze.

She pulled it from the hangers and walked to the dressing room. It was even easy to put it on. She pulled the zipper up, testing it a few times, before looking at herself in the mirror. She looked hot and that was being modest.

She turned the knob and walked out to an audience.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five **

She held her breath for a moment. Meredith, Callie, and Izzie were sprawled on the couch, relieved to be out of their hideous dresses. They were talking about something, or at least Meredith and Callie were. The Face of Evil and her mother were still perusing the racks, probably trying to find something even uglier than the last monstrosity.

She saw Meredith inhale before saying, " Cristina, wow…"

"Damn, Yang. You clean up." Callie nodded in approval.

Her mother's face was blank, while the Face of Evil pursed her lips. "It's rather simple, isn't it?"

"It's us the justice of the peace and a few witnesses Mrs. Burke. I don't need or want fancy."

"We'll see. I still think you try on a few more dresses before you settle on…on [Ithat[/I." She pointed at it as if Cristina had dressed herself in stolen organs.

"I like this dress. I'm getting this dress." Meredith, Callie, and Izzie sat back as if they were an audience to a fight.

"You may like it, Cristina, but what about Preston? You need to think about him as well. Perhaps we should call him." Her voice was sickly sweet, an irritating façade.

"Isn't that bad juju?" Callie asked. The Face of Evil stayed silent.

"It's fine. I don't believe in superstitions." She looked the Face of Evil in the eye. "This wedding is happening." What was happening today were details.

"No, Preston is at work." She was backtracking. "He must be saving someone's life right now. It would be wrong to interrupt him." Cristina nodded, uncaring.

If she could beat a smarmy ex who knew far too much about the person she used to be, then she could certainly fight her future mother-in-law.

She pulled a random dress from the rack. It almost made Cristina laugh. With puffy sleeves and a ball gown skirt, the dress resembled what a southern belle would wear if she were on crack. Plus it could probably fit her, Meredith, and Callie with room to spare. The Face of Evil was cracking.

"Try this on. It will look beautiful." She almost sounded earnest.

" Jane that will never fit Cristina." Her mother seemed horrified.

"We can alter it."

"I believe that would be unnecessary."

Jane's eyebrow rose. So that was where Burke got it from. Well, that ruined it for Cristina. "Oh?" Trouble in the maternal alliance of evil?

"This dress is adequate even if it is rather plain." Her mother said it with a matter-of-fact tone. It was the tone she had used when something was not meant to be disputed.

"Adequate? But Helen I thought we would be of the same opinion on such an important matter—"

"I agree with you that it is very simple." She paused, now looking at Cristina. " Cristina will wear this dress… because my daughter looks beautiful."


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six **

Later after she had paid for the dress and the shoes to go with it, she started to watch her mother. Her mother had called her beautiful. Cristina had thought she misheard because she could never remember her mother calling her beautiful before, at least not without ending with some backhanded phrase.

Her mother was looking in another direction. Cristina wanted to say thank you, but she had never done that with her mother. This was too weird, too new, too different for her to handle right now. Yet she still wanted to say it. Cristina shook her head, knowing that she would stay silent because here was a bridge she had never been able to gap, a woman she had never been able to understand. A woman who had never understood her.

Their relationship was not peaceful, nothing like Burke's and the Face of Evil's. They fought or engaged in cold dialogue. Tension and angry undercurrents filled the room whenever they were together. It was sad in a way, but she had grown up just fine without a mother.

"Well, if you want to continue holding up that line Cristina, be my guest, but Jane and I are leaving." Her friends were outside waiting for her already. Cristina moved, ignoring the vicious glares of the brides-to-be that followed her.

**"**I suppose if you insist on having this sham of a wedding, there is no point in us remaining here. I'll call Donald and we'll leave on the first flight." Her voice was spiteful.

" Mrs. Burke, I—"

"Don't try to be sweet Cristina. You never had any intention of giving my son the wedding he deserves." Her mother's eyes narrowed.

" Mrs. Burke I was going to ask if you and my mother wanted to come over for dinner tonight to discuss the other details of the wedding."

"What?" Even her mother was surprised.

"I'm not changing my mind about the justice of the peace, but we can compromise. Bur-Preston would want that and so do I." She was lying through her teeth, but she really didn't want the Face of Evil to be plotting her death for the rest of her life.

The Face of Evil still seemed suspicious, but she said, "That will be fine. We will come over at seven."

"Perfect."

Hopefully, Cristina's new plan would work.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven **

Cristina was fidgeting. Fidgeting was weak, but tonight would decide a lot of things and if she was right about how much Burke loved the Face of Evil, she was treading careful ground. She watched him set out plates and light candles. They would be here in a few minutes.

Or they would show up early. Probably trying to unbalance her, Cristina admired the strategy of the move, but she had expected something like that. She opened the door, all smiles and happiness. Inside Burke was ladling out the good onto plates, and he too was happy. Poor Burke, so unsuspecting of her plans and ideas.

At first, dinner was quiet like the night before. The clinking of silver ware and the sound of wine being poured filled the table. The noise did nothing to hide the tension that was slowly wrapping itself around the people in the room.

The Face of Evil daintily wiped her mouth. "So what is this discussion about?"

Cristina took a deep breath. She had always hated this telling people things. "I know that you all want a big wedding, but you have to understand that I am not that girl. I will never be that girl and I _do not_ plan on changing." Burke squeezed her hand.

"Change is part of marriage, Cristina." The Face of Evil was practically tsking.

"I will not sacrifice that part of me because that is who I am."

"Exactly why you cannot marry my son." Too bad the knives were blunt.

"Mama, I love her this way."

"We will have the wedding at City Hall because it is what we want. You should be there too as our witnesses besides Meredith and Shepherd." Burke was smiling now. "I know that you have some need to show off and decorate things Mother, so we can have a reception I guess. It can't be big or have violin quartets or girly crap, but we can have a reception."

"How many people will be in this "small" reception?" The Face of Evil was actually considering it.

Burke answered before she could even open her mouth. "75 at the most Mama. We don't want a lot of people." How had he known about her plan? How did he know these things?

"You seem to have everything planned out," Saul said.

"Yes, Mr. Rubenstein. Cristina and I know what we want."

"Well, I say the matter is settled then." The Face of Evil seemed ready to protest. "Oh, we can discuss all the details later dear. Let's enjoy the meal."

The victory had been quick, nearly painless. She was so surprised at this turn of events, at the support of Saul and Donald. This was far too easy, but for once she would not complain or be suspicious. She would accept it and rejoice because things were settled at least temporarily. She wasn't naïve enough to believe that the Face of Evil and her mother would not try to increase the guest list and drive her insane.

Later when they were leaving, after she had said goodbye to her mother and Saul, the Face of Evil came up to her and said in a voice low enough that only she could hear it, "I hope what you are doing is enough for him because I will not accept less than that for my son, Cristina." She walked out the door after kissing Burke goodbye.

Donald closed the door behind him, and Cristina went to sit with Burke on the cough. He pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head. She heard him sigh in pleasure, happy that he had managed to end the day with his mama and her satisfied. She did not plan to tell him what his mother had said. He didn't need to think about that. He didn't need it to ruin his joy.

As she lay there in his arms, she hoped that she would be enough, that they would be enough…because they had too…because without him she didn't have a plan.

_Fin_


End file.
